Listener Crossword 4748: Solution Notes
XPS by Karla
Puzzle explanation
The answers to the clues with wordplay giving an extra letter formed crossing pairs of thematic words, either two types of pea or two words containing PEA. The letters of GREEN were added to the left column to give GREGOR MENDEL, the monk who founded the science of genetics with experiments on crossing green peas, the species of which is PISUM SATIVUM, completed in the bottom row of the grid. The misprints in the across and down clues, read alternately, spelt the instruction “draw pods around peas”. Any kind of loop around the instances of PEA was accepted.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint, correction | Answer | Explanation [extra letter] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | D, bo(W) | SALAAM | AA in SALM(on) |
| 5 | STRING | S[G]T + (Peppe)R + (R)ING(o) | |
| 9 | COOLHUNTERS | C + (L + HERONS OUT) * | |
| 10 | REPEAL | REP + (d)EAL[E](r) | |
| 12 | A, W(I)tch | OBI-MAN | OBI-WAN with W rotated |
| 14 | TWONESS | W in TONES + S | |
| 16 | PEART | P[O]RT around EA | |
| 20 | P, (D)ress | SARI | SARI(n) |
| 21 | SPLIT | [R]P in SLIT | |
| 22 | VEN | V + EN | |
| 23 | D, (R)ocks | ICE | I(n) C(a)E(n) |
| 24 | A, (S)talin | GULAG | GAG around (g)UL(f) |
| 25 | PEAG | (step)PE [M]AG(pies) | |
| 27 | O, m(A)les | EARLS | EAR + L(istles)S |
| 29 | N, i(T) | NYMPHOS | (MY + N + SHOP) * |
| 32 | APPEAL | PE[D]AL after AP | |
| 34 | P, (L)ine | ENCASE | N(ar)C in EASE |
| 35 | ORANGE PEKOE | (KEEP + O + GRAN) * + OE | |
| 36 | A, Athe(N)s | SPARTA | ART in SPA |
| 37 | DESERT | R in (DE[L] + SET) | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | R, (F)ight | SCRAP | SCRAP(e) |
| 2 | LOP-EARED | [S]LOPED around (h)ARE(s) | |
| 3 | W, (C)hap | ALEC | ALE + (kno)C(ked) |
| 4 | MULTIPLE | (LIMP LUTE) * | |
| 5 | SNOW | [A]WNS < around O | |
| 6 | O, Lo(I)ns | REINS | homophone of REIGNS |
| 7 | S, (U)S | NSA | N(azi)S + A |
| 8 | GINSENG | GIN + SENG(reen) | |
| 11 | R, wa(Y) | ACTS UP | (PACT US) * |
| 13 | PEACHY | (EACH + Y) in P[I] | |
| 15 | SPEALS | [U]P in SEALS | |
| 17 | FLAXSEED | F + (SEX LEAD) * | |
| 18 | PIGEON | E[T]ON after PIG | |
| 19 | U, p(A)ss | OVERTAKE | ((shri)EK AT REVO(lting)) < |
| 20 | SIGNALS | (SLANG + IS) < | |
| 26 | SPEAR | PRE-[U]SA * | |
| 28 | SWEET | (TE + [M]EWS) < | |
| 30 | D, hol(Y) | OLGA | (V)OLGA |
| 31 | E, (P)ros | ACES | C in SEA < |
| 33 | S, (B)ang | POP | 2 meanings |